Spiritualism Books

Book SynopsisWhile modernism's engagement with the occult has been approached by critics as the result of a loss of faith in representation, Leigh Wilson argues that these discourses remakes the relationship between world and representation. Wilson explores the aesthetic and political implications in the work of writers who were self-consciously experimental.

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Book SynopsisCinema, Religion and the Romantic Legacy surveys the ways in which notions of religion and spirituality have impinged upon the cinema. Cinema is conceived as a post-Romantic form for which religion and spirituality can be unified only problematically. While inspecting many of the well-established themes and topoi of writing on religion and film (such as films about priests and ''Christ-figures'') it also seeks to problematize them, focusing primarily upon the issues of religious representation foregrounded by such European directors as Kieslowski and Godard. Coates draws on theories of theologians, philosophers and cultural and literary critics including: Otto, Kant, Schiller and Girard. Addressing the relationship between religion and spirituality from a film studies specialist''s perspective, this book offers all those concerned with film, media or religious studies an invaluable examination of artistic interaction with the theological and aesthetic issues of representation and Trade Review'A fascinating book, which explores with admirable competence and incisiveness the process of estrangement of religion and spirituality in the cinema, locating its source in the post-romantic era. Coates offers his reader a unique opportunity to trace in films, spanning a century of world film production, the cinematic presentations of God, the Devil, ghosts and other participants of religious discourse. The book contains brilliant, profound analyses of a wide spectrum of films, including productions by Lang, Godard, Kieslowski, Tarkowski, Herzog and many others.'Miroslaw Przylipiak, Professor of film and media studies, University of Gdansk, Poland 'This is a very perceptive analysis of the manner in which spiritual and religious themes have impacted upon movies over the decades... Covering a huge wingspan, it tackles everything from 'Frankenstein' to 'The Usual Suspects', starring our own Gabriel Byrne, to 'Taxi Driver'.' Modern Woman 'One of the incontestable pleasures of reading [Paul Coates] is the wide range of his learning, his command of languages, and the risks he takes in applying everything he knows to film... His book is [...] one of the few on religion and film worth reading and a true tonic to reading theologians writing on cinema... His skill in negotiating the eddies of sometimes gnomic filmmakers in religious terms is one of the chief merits of a book that offers corrective readings of many films that have been interpretively abused by their admirers as often as by their detractors.' Canadian Journal of Film StudiesTable of ContentsContents: Introduction; Romanticism and religion: from horror to the sublime; The limits of representation; Supernatural persons; Aspects of popular religion; Spirituality and religion: from the Eastern Bloc to the USA; Appendixes; Index.

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Book SynopsisFrom author and teacher HeatherAsh Amara comes a revolutionary, interactive guide to the energies that make up the flow of our lives: Wild, Willing, and Wise--a contemporary reimagining of the Maiden, Mother, and Crone archetypes.Whether we realize it or not, our lives are a constant cycle through three energies: the creativity and abundance of Wild, the courage and power of Willing, and the gratitude and surrender of Wise. HeatherAsh provides in-depth descriptions of the three archetypes, detailing how each presents in excess and deficiency, so that readers can begin to recognize emotional turmoil and hardship as an imbalance of their energies. Combining anecdotes, self-reflection quizzes, simple exercises, and visualizations, Wild, Willing, and Wise teaches readers how to bring the three energies into balance in order to find inner freedom and alignment. This interactive, radical guide is not a rule book, but an invitation into a

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Book SynopsisThis pioneering account of Modern Spiritualism in late 19th and early 20th-century Scotland is a compelling history of the international movement's cultural impact on Scottish art. From spirit-mediums creating séance art to mainstream artists of the Royal Scottish Academy, this exposition reveals for the first time the extent of Spiritualist interest in Scotland. With its interdisciplinary scope, Modern Spiritualism and Scottish Art combines cultural and art history to explore the ways in which Scottish art reflected Spiritualist beliefs at the turn of the 20th century. More than simply a history of the Spiritualist cause and its visual manifestations, this book also provides a detailed account of scepticism, psychical research, and occulture in modern Scotland, and the role that these aspects played in informing responses to Spiritualist ideology.Utilising extensive archival research, together with in-depth analyses of overlooked paintings, drawings and sculpTrade ReviewThis fascinating book illuminates a neglected aspect of Scottish art and society, namely the strong contribution to international Spiritualism from the middle of the 19th century onwards. Whilst Arthur Conan Doyle’s involvement is well known, the contributions of Scottish artists linked to Spiritualism are not. * Murdo Macdonald, Professor Emeritus of History of Scottish Art, University of Dundee, UK *In this rigorous and illuminating study, Foot reveals how modern spiritualism impacted Scotland’s urban, religious, and most importantly, artistic cultures in the 19th and early-20th centuries, mapping a nationally-specific current of spiritualist aesthetics within Scotland that stands dramatically apart from the movement’s reception in England. * Christine Ferguson, Professor of English, University of Stirling, UK *This is a ground-breaking study of Spiritualism and art. Its value goes way beyond its primary focus on the Scottish context. Michelle Foot’s analysis, based on an impressive knowledge of primary sources and visual material, offers new insights that will be useful to all those who are interested in the social and cultural impact of Spiritualism in the modern world. * Marco Pasi, Associate Professor, History of Hermetic philosophy, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Introduction 1 - Within the Séance Circle 1. Nineteenth-Century Spiritualism in Scotland 2. Private Spiritualism in Edinburgh 3. Public Spiritualism in Glasgow 4. Art in the Service of Spiritualism 2 - Outwith the Séance Circle 5. Scottish Spiritualism in the Early Twentieth Century 6. The Survival of the Spirit 7. A Marriage of Matter and Spirit 8. The Medium and Her Spirit Guide Epilogue Note on the Cover Image Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIt’s time to wake up and become the person you are here to be. In Trust Your Truth, Shannon Algeo invites you on a profound journey to move beyond self-doubt and live the badass life you are meant to live. Self-doubt intensifies whenever we give our power away to people and things outside of us. But your self-worth is always sourced from within you. Organized by the seven chakras—the energetic centers of the body—Trust Your Truth invites you to discover your truth on every level of YOU: to awaken to your true calling, accept yourself wholeheartedly, honor your emotions, trust your intuition, and measure success based on how true you can be to yourself—rather than the expectations of others. When you learn to trust your truth, you open yourself up to becoming the most empowered, present, and alive version of yourself. The powerful practices throughout this book are interwoven with raw, personal stories from Algeo’s own healing journey—showing you how aligning with your purpose and being the True You benefits everyone around you and your collective community as a whole. As Algeo says, “One of the bravest journeys is the journey inward.” Get ready for a journey from head to heart and beyond. This book will be your step forward onto a new path of deeper courage, rich insights, and profound wisdom as you uncover the power of who you truly are.

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Book SynopsisThrough the perspective of having grown up among "HinJews" in the Ram Dass community and cannabis legalization movement, Madison Margolin takes the reader on a journey inside New York's Jewish counterculture and the Hasidic underground, reconciling her roots, tackling ancestral Jewish trauma, and finding intersectionality between the Jewish and psychedelic experience. Exile and Ecstasy sets out to explore the psychedelic path that occupies the crossroads between the Ram Dass movement and Hasidism. It's a path of seeking and escape, rebellion and return, medicine and magic. Bridging the polar ends of the Jewish and psychedelic worlds, while buttressing the experience with expert reportage, Madison Margolin prods at Be Here Now to find its relevance and utility in a new generation, facing different issues than those Ram Dass faced as a generally well-to-do boomer. In doing so, she looks at solutions to our lack of presence and offers practices that help us integrate our psychedelic experiences in mundane life, as well as in the context of our roots and religious identities. This book is for anyone looking to feel spiritually kindled, to make peace with where they come from, and to reconcile seemingly disparate experiences of spirituality and psychedelics, with traditional religion.

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Book SynopsisDiscover some of the world’s most awe-inspiring and holy places, from Stonehenge to Uluru, and Walden Pond to Angkor Wat. Humans have always searched for and created meaning in the world around them, whether in breathtakingly stunning natural features and phenomena, acknowledging the ancient home of a particular faith or movement, or honouring the location of a significant event. In this beautifully illustrated guide, Alice Peck discusses what makes a place spiritual – whether reaches of time, geography, the provision of sustenance or inspiration, or mystery and magic – and then explores 80 such locations around the globe. Rather than a comprehensive travel guide, the description of each one includes a detail or tip – something beautiful, strange, relatively unknown or unfamiliar – to allow readers to deepen their focus and perhaps experience the place in a different way than they might expect. If you are unable to travel at this time, this book will help you plan your next adventure. And if you are trying to limit your carbon footprint, each destination is accompanied by a related meditation, prayer, practice or quotation to help you connect to the spirit of it from your own home.Trade ReviewLets seekers immerse themselves in awe - Publishers Weekly The ultimate armchair guide for the spiritual seeker - Spirituality & Health magazine “Peck’s book will surely make people slow down and contemplate the intangibles that make certain places feel so powerful - Inhabitat.com

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Book SynopsisPeople contact mediums to help them through the grieving process. In times of emptiness, sorrow and regret, mediums offer love and reassurance, and the chance to reconnect with the energy of a departed loved one. This book offers readers the tools and techniques to be their own medium, in order to help them through the grieving process. It also offers loving advice that will help those who grieve let go of the departed and live a happy, healthy life.

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Book SynopsisLife is there for the taking. We can choose to take it, or leave it to float by as it will. If we have the confidence, we can reach out and grab it.According to John Cairney, life is divided into four sections: birth, adolescence, maturity and old age. Writing from the final quarter, he looks over each section of his life and draws wisdom from the places he has been and people he has met.With tales of love and courage interspersed with dry Glaswegian humour, this book is a guide to a full living grounded in a simple philosophy spiced by anecdotes related by someone whose life has been well lived. The Importance of Being will make you laugh and ponder the complexities of life, at the same time.This is an unashamed celebration of the too-often ignored moment when breath is drawn in to give life and let out again to allow us to enjoy living. Everything else, no matter how wonderful, uplifting or rewarding, is decoration and extra to this breath-taking fact – that as long as we’re breathing we’re alive.

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Book SynopsisSince Sankara Saranam's groundbreaking book God Without Religion was released 10 years ago, thousands have been enlightened by his teachings and revelations. Now, in this special 10-year anniversary edition, Sankara returns with new insights and a renewed message of spiritual guidance and inspiration. Disillusioned with organized religion, millions of people turn to secular humanism, neo-atheism, New Age thinking, Eastern religious practices, and mysticism while others retreat from spirituality altogether. A more satisfying and transformative option is to embark on a quest to discover what is real to you. Using time-tested tools of investigation into your own sense of self, you can examine your present beliefs, explore the nature of reality, and ultimately expand your identity and awareness. God Without Religion introduces this age-old approach to self-inquiry for today's readers. Step by step, it offers a bridge between organized religion and self-realization for anyone questioning traditional dogma or its legacy of divisiveness. It also assists in overcoming limitations and notions of exclusivity promoted by modern-day movements. Included are 17 universal techniques for developing a personal understanding of the underlying substance of existence and broadening your view of yourself, others, and all of life. This updated edition includes new details about Sankara's personal experiences with each technique. These highly relatable new passages will help you connect with each concept in a personal way, so that you can discover--or rediscover--your own spiritual path to clarity.Trade Review"God Without Religion asks some difficult questions and advocates a more intelligent and thoughtful approach to the spiritual life... Read it slowly, in sections, and become a positive influence toward religious understanding in the world." --Thomas Moore, author of Care of the Soul and Dark Nights of the Soul "This fine, fierce, wise, and deeply helpful book challenges everyone to find a direct relationship with the divine beyond the confines of the past, and offers rich advice and a bevy of powerful practices that can sustain such a relationship and continue to expand it." --Andrew Harvey, author of The Direct Path and Sun at Midnight "In this day when religions seem to be caught in stages of mindnumbing dogma, justification of violence, and meaningless ritual that do no more than sanctify greed and secular superiority, Sankara Saranam's book offers hope and relief. You don't have to be Jewish, Christian, or Muslim to see the real message here--God is part of us all and Western religions may be getting in the way of that realization if they continue on their present paths." --Fred Alan Wolf, Ph.D., theoretical physicist, author of The Yoga of Time Travel, and a National Book Award winner "This book's bold message is vital. It is a path straight up the mountain that avoids the swamps of religious dithering, divisiveness, and destructiveness. It is a way out of darkness. It affirms the unity of all humans not only with one another, but with all of life and the Absolute. If we are to survive on the earth, heeding this message is not merely optional but required." --Larry Dossey, M.D., author of Healing Beyond the Body and Reinventing Medicine "This is a courageous, stand-out book for readers ready to part the veil of illusion and see the truth that every religious tradition must periodically and systematically reexamine itself and account for its teachings." --Meredith Jordan, author of Embracing the Mystery "Written with clarity and elegance, [God Without Religion] explores the mysteries of faith and spiritual commitment with sensitivity and wisdom." --Ahrar Ahmad, PH.D., professor of political science, Black Hills State University "Sankara Saranam has created one of the most extraordinary books of our time ... presenting us with a historical perspective on the political underbelly of our organized religions, then drawing science and spirituality together to offer us a new profile of divinity--one that casts light on the relationship between human existence and the cosmos, one that extends salvation to us all." --Hank Wesselman, PH.D., anthropologist and author of The Spiritwalker Trilogy and The Journey to the Sacred Garden "God Without Religion is a rare book, combining spiritual insight and practice with social criticism and an appreciation of the many contradictions of modern life. I highly recommend this book for anyone seeking to maintain intellectual integrity while simultaneously retaining reverence for the unity of all things." --Jeffery Mishlove, PH.D., President, Intuition Network; author of The PK Man; and former host of Thinking Allowed, a national public television series "Unlike other books that tear religion down without offering anything in its place, God Without Religion sets out helpful alternative approaches to personal spirituality. This is an inspiring, positive, wonderful book that emphasizes the truth that we are spiritual beings making a human journey. Reading it will greatly enhance your personal relationship with the creator-energy." --Joseph Dispenzam, author of The Way of the Traveler and Live Better Longer "God Without Religion opens a door to spiritual practice that organized religions have closed for centuries. Sankara Saranam has written a spiritual masterpiece. I highly recommend it to all spiritual seekers." --Rev. Dr. Michael Ellner, President, HEAL (Health Education AIDS Liaison-NYC), coauthor of Quantum Focus, and winner of the IMDHA Pen and Quill Award

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